


For The Fairest

by goldtintedroses



Category: a thousand splendid suns -khaled hosseini
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-04
Updated: 2015-03-04
Packaged: 2018-03-16 09:26:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3483014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goldtintedroses/pseuds/goldtintedroses
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post-novel. Laila and her family celebrate a special day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	For The Fairest

**Author's Note:**

> Gen Prompt Bingo. Cottoncandy Bingo. Prompt: Flowers, Hurt/Comfort and Character Death.
> 
> For Khaled Hosseini's birthday.

When Laila takes her children down to the memorial they have built for those killed by the insurgencies and the Taliban, she expects a fight. The longer they have been here, her children have forgotten all they have endured to enjoy this peace, this lull that has brought them this mundane life. Though Aziza has not forgotten, Zalmai’s memory of it has faded and Mariam, little Mariam the youngest has no recollection at all. How could she, when she was born long after everything was said and done?

It is just like it was the last few years Laila has taken them. There’s a fuss from Zalmai, Aziza has already woken up Mariam. They head down the stairs together. Tariq has breakfast ready for the five of them, just yesterday he’s taken the day off for this because he understands how important this is to Laila.

Their best clothes are already pressed and ironed for them from last night. Aziza picks her own clothes now. She looks a little lady, Tariq is always saying to her now but Laila is not ready for her to grow up, not just yet. She thinks this is what Babi might have felt when he’d seen her and Tariq together as young teens. Both Mariam and Zalmai need help getting ready.

All the way there Zalmai is fidgety and Tariq grabs his hand in reassurance, swinging it back and forth, back and forth. There isn’t anyone at the memorial site, of course Laila has expected as much, it’s not a day celebrated by anyone except them. She places her flowers near the foot of the monument. Aziza goes next, her flowers are tulips she has planted in their small garden. They’re white, red and yellow. Tariq with little Mariam in his arms drops his flowers. A handful of bright red poppies, Mariam has found on the way home from school. Zalmai is a little more hesitant to drop his own, they’re a lovely colour and flowers are hard enough to come by.

She squeezes his shoulders and he drops the tiny cotton plant he’s mistaken for a flower. He’s breathing heavily now, and she holds on to his shoulders until his breathing becomes even again. Although Zalmai has told her he’s long forgotten, Laila is sure she hasn’t. It’s hard for him because he was young when it had happened. He can’t understand it, still can’t comprehend why his father has left him but some day he will and she can only hope he’ll find it in his heart to forgive her.

Closing her eyes in that spot, she remembers the conversation she’d had with Aziza just yesterday and how it’d broken her heart to hear Aziza talk about Mariam after all those years, like opening a small box of memories and letting all the emotions spill out but Laila is strong, if not for herself then for her children.

_"Mammy do you think Mariam jo will like these?" Aziza asks._

_"Of course she will, as long as it’s from you."_

_"I hope she has a good birthday Mammy."_

_"She will because we’re celebrating it with her."_


End file.
